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Does summer heat cause pest infestations

Does summer heat cause pest infestations

DOES SUMMER HEAT CAUSE PEST INFESTATIONS?

For many pests, summer is their peak season and it’s not hard to understand why. When provided with ideal conditions to thrive, homes and businesses across Adelaide face a higher risk of a pest outbreak. Learn about how hot weather influences pest behaviour in this Hivemind blog.

What questions will this article answer?

Pests are more active in summer

Many pests are cold blooded, including spiders, mosquitoes, ants, cockroaches, flies, fleas, moths, pest bees, wasps and termites. This means that their body temperature and activity levels vary depending on their environment.

The arrival of summer will bring them out of hibernation over winter, and gives them more energy to be active, scavenge for food, seek shelter and breed.

For some pests, particularly pest bees and wasps, the longer days also give them more time to cause a nuisance in your garden.

Increased humidity

Many pests rely on a source of water to thrive, so combining increase in temperature with higher levels of humidity provides the perfect conditions for many pests to flourish.

From sprinklers, backyard bird baths and ponds, overflowing pot plants, to leaking plumbing and appliances, pests are clever at seeking out sources of moisture wherever the mercury heats up.

For pests that live within colonies underground, such as subterranean termites and ants, the increased dampness in the soil will also cause a spike in population growth.

Wooden structures can also absorb more moisture in hot, humid weather. This attracts pests such as carpenter ants, subterranean termites and cockroaches.

Hot weather drives pests to seek shelter

Just like people, pests will want to seek shelter in the scorching heat, and find safe, quiet hiding spots to nest and lay eggs.

This could drive them inside your home, for example, inside your roof space or kitchen, in search of food and water.

Don’t get swamped by a summer pest outbreak, speak to an expert today

or

Ideal breeding conditions

For many pests, the hot weather doesn’t just make them more active. It speeds up their reproductive and life cycles. This means that you’ll see more pests reaching their reproductive age sooner. As a consequence, outbreaks can happen quicker in summer, and you’ll need to act fast if you want to bring the problem under control. Here are some pests that you’ll need to watch for in a summer heatwave:

  • Mosquitoes mature between an optimum temperature range of 25-30 degrees Celsius
  • Flies take about 7-10 days to become adults, but this is faster in hot weather
  • Fleas normally develop from an egg to an adult in about 2 months, but in summer, this process can be sped up to about 3 weeks
  • The ideal breeding conditions for cockroaches are 29-35 degrees Celsius

More food sources are available

As your garden begins to flourish in the warmer weather, hungry pests emerging from hibernation will find a smorgasbord of food options. Common sources of food include fruit, vegetables, tree sap, pollen, rubbish bins, pet food and other food scraps. This means that you can expect more bees, ants, possums and other foraging pests.

With outdoor dining also on the rise, your picnics and barbecues can also attract rodents and birds, which can detect food smells from far distances away. They are always keen for crumbs and leftovers!

If you find that your compost pile is growing along with your garden, this can also attract pests to your yard, as does an overflowing rubbish bin.

Don’t let summer pests feast on your food, get fast advice today

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How to prevent summer pests

You can get ahead of a summer pest influx by taking the following simple steps to prepare your home 

 

Keep food stored away

Do not leave food out in the open for hungry pests. Instead, keep it covered or even better, store it in sturdy, well-sealed containers in your pantry or fridge. Don’t forget to do the same for pet food.

 

Proper waste disposal

Ensure that rubbish is secured in plastic bags and bins have tight fitting lids. Avoid leaving compost uncovered.

 

Maintain a clean home

Wipe down and disinfect your kitchen and dining areas, including outdoor dining areas and barbecues. Regularly sweep, mop and vacuum floors.

 

Remove sources of water

Avoid leaving pet water bowls out, and refrain from keeping ponds and bird baths. Consider keeping your swimming pool covered. Fix leaking taps, drains and pipes.

 

Garden and yard maintenance

Keep lawns tidy and mowed, and trim back tree branches and bushes away from the sides of your home.

 

Remove entry points

Regularly inspect your home for gaps, cracks and holes and seal them over. Fix loose roof tiles and install fly screens where possible.

Professional summer pest management

Having successfully controlled pest outbreaks for over 35 years, our team is fully equipped with early pest detection equipment to identify the source of your infestation.

Then, we will implement a tailored pest management plan, using a range of nontoxic treatments which are safe for children, pets and the environment.

Our range of Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority approved treatments include:

  • Chemical treatments such as aerosol sprays, fumigation and fogging
  • Physical treatments such as traps, bait stations, netting, bird spikes

We will also make recommendations for long term pest prevention to safeguard your home against the threat of future outbreaks.

Choose Allstate for fast and reliable summer pest control

While it may seem like summer gives pests the upper hand, rest assured that you can always count on Allstate to quickly manage any outbreaks that happen.

Locally operated since 1986, Allstate offers premium pest control services to Adelaide homes and businesses. Available 24/7 in all suburbs of Adelaide for urgent advice, our highly trained team provides modern and innovative solutions to residential, commercial and industrial pest issues of all sizes.

With competitive warranties and payment plans available, you can look forward to enjoying a pest-free summer sooner rather than later.

Our expert team is ready to help you now

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How to keep Pests away in Summer

How to keep Pests away in Summer

How to keep Pests away in Summer

With many of us getting excited about the upcoming summer holidays, the last thing on anybody’s mind would be dealing with a pest outbreak. Unfortunately, being the peak season for many pests, summer pest outbreaks are relatively common. Keep your home safe from unwelcome pests by reading this Hivemind blog.

What questions will this article answer?

Why are there more pests in summer?

Just as your garden comes alive in warm weather, so do household pests! Summer provides ideal conditions for the survival of many pests, including ants, mosquitoes, flies, fleas, cockroaches and venomous spiders. You’ll notice that many of these creepy crawlies emerge from hibernating to breed and forage for food.

Ants

Emerging from their hibernation period in winter, ants will once again be seen foraging for food along ant trails from their nests and it doesn’t take long for an army of ants to appear.

From your garden to the rubbish bin to your kitchen, ants will march almost anywhere for their next meal, contaminating your food and surfaces, and spreading germs and diseases as they go. If you happen to step in their path, you may even experience the sharp pain of an ant bite, which can cause swelling if you’re allergic. These bites can be particularly unpleasant if you happen to encounter a fire ant.

Thankfully, there’s several ways to reduce the risk of an ant infestation. We recommend:

  • Storing food away in tightly sealed containers and avoid leaving pet food out
  • Cleaning your kitchen regularly, wiping surfaces and removing food spills immediately
  • Keeping rubbish bins and compost properly covered
  • Maintaining your yard by disposing of fallen fruit, keeping the lawn tidy and removing piles of vegetation
  • Inspecting your home for all possible entry points and sealing them off
  • Applying insecticide sprays and positioning bait stations

If you’re still struggling to combat an ant invasion at home, you don’t need to worry. Allstate has a range of proven treatments for all types of ants. This includes control dust, insecticide as well as chemical baits.

Get fast treatment for crawling insects. Speak to Allstate today.

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Mosquitoes

With summer being their peak season, hungry mosquitoes are often heard buzzing around looking for suitable hosts to feed off. Famous for their irritating, itchy bites, which can trigger allergies, mosquitoes move from host to host drawing blood and potentially spreading nasty diseases such as Dengue fever, Ross River virus, Yellow fever and Barmah Forest virus.

That’s why we encourage preventing skin contact with mosquitoes by wearing long sleeved clothing and applying insect repellent.

Although they’re tiny, it’s possible to stop mosquitoes from flying inside your home by:

  • Installing mesh screens over your windows and doors
  • Removing sources of moisture, including pet water bowls, ponds, bird baths, leaking taps and drains, and making sure that plant pots have adequate drainage

If they’re becoming a major nuisance, Allstate offers a range of professional treatments that target all stages of the mosquito life cycle, as well as fogging sprays and residual barrier sprays for ongoing protection.

Flies

It certainly wouldn’t be a normal Aussie summer without a few flies hovering around your barbecue, but you certainly don’t want them all over the place, either. They can be noisy and distracting, all while spreading germs and diseases from their unhygienic foraging habits. Once they’ve established a breeding site and laid their eggs, you may even find yourself dealing with crawling maggots!

If all this sounds stressful to you, rest assured thatplenty of ways to stop a fly outbreak from happening. Here’s how:

  • Install fly screens over doors and windows around your home, paying special attention to kitchen, dining and waste storage areas
  • Practice proper food storage to avoid attracting flies
  • Keep kitchen and dining areas clean by regularly wiping and disinfecting surfaces, including floors, and clearing food spills, crumbs and grease
  • Wash used dishes and cutlery immediately
  • Turn on fans
  • Apply insecticide spray where it is safe to do so

However, if your fly problem is simply overwhelming, you may need professional fly management. Allstate uses aerosol sprays, fogging and dusting powder to keep flies away for good.

Fleas

While we’re busy keeping pests away from our homes, let’s not forget our furry friends! With more active fleas around in the warmer months, our pets can be silently suffering without us having a clue.

Red-brown coloured and around 2mm long, fleas can sometimes be hard to spot, but it’s important to check our pets’ fur for signs of flea infections, look out for flea eggs and droppings, and be aware of changes in pet behaviour.

You can keep your home and pets flea-free by taking the following steps:

  • Managing other pests which can introduce fleas to your home, such as rodents and pest birds
  • Conducting regular yard maintenance to reduce flea hiding and breeding spots, such as lawns and piles of vegetation
  • Regular cleaning, especially in areas are frequented by your pets, including rugs and furniture
  • Wash pet bedding using hot water
  • Grooming and washing your pets
  • Fitting your pet with a flea collar
  • Taking your pet to your local trusted vet

For all persisting flea issues, Allstate can assist with flea control dust and insecticide treatments.

Avoid getting bitten by a flying insect problem. Get fast advice today.

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Cockroaches

With the ability to survive all year round in all types of living conditions, cockroaches breed in the spring and you’re most likely to spot them at night. Famous for spreading illnesses and diseases such as gastroenteritis, typhoid fever, cholera and dysentery, you’ll definitely want to avoid the mess of an outbreak if possible.

With an appetite for a wide variety of food in your pantry as well as rubbish bin, it’s best to keep cockroaches as far away from your home as possible. Here’s how:

  • Practicing good hygiene including handwashing
  • Ensure that food is tightly covered and stored away
  • Clean your kitchen, food preparation and dining areas regularly using disinfecting products
  • Wipe up food spills and crumbs immediately
  • Keep your cupboards and shelves, oven and dishwasher clean
  • Inspect your home for potential entry points inside and seal them over with filler, silicone or expanding foam. Seal off vents if possible
  • Check for leaking drains and pipes and fix them as soon as possible

Still struggling with a cockroach problem? Allstate can help. We use a range of innovative control measures including fumigation, cockroach baiting and heat treatments.

Venomous spiders

Although most spiders in Australia are harmless, the notorious venomous redback and certain species of funnel web spiders are known to strike fear in many. This is because their bites contain toxic venom which requires immediate medical attention.

The good news is, redbacks and funnel webs are not aggressive unless they are disturbed. Here’s how to identify them:

  • Redback spiders are 1.5mm long and black coloured with a distinct red stripe on their upper abdomen. They create messy and irregular, but strong and sticky cobwebs
  • Funnel web spiders are 1-5cm long, glossy-looking, black-brown in colour and covered with fine hairs. They build non sticky, funnel shaped webs burrows to live in, and hunt for their prey. You’ll most likely find them under rocks, or inside logs.

You can prevent spiders from visiting your home by taking the following steps:

  • Identifying and covering all entry points, including vents and cover gaps underneath doors using draught excluders
  • Remove clutter from your home so there are less hiding spots
  • Reduce the number of insects around your home, which will attract spiders

If you’re concerned about having venomous spiders, we don’t recommend approaching them yourself. At Allstate, our technicians are professionally trained to handle all types of spiders. We offer effective spider treatments such as spider control dust and insecticide sprays to protect you and your family from venomous spiders.

Choose Allstate for reliable and effective summer pest control

The summer holidays are a great time to enjoy time with friends and family, rather than dealing with annoying pest outbreaks.

Locally operated since 1986, Allstate has provided high quality pest control services to homes and businesses in all suburbs of Adelaide. Available 24/7, offer long-lasting pest management solutions to clients in residential, commercial and industrial settings, using a range of safe, modern and innovative treatments.

With access to payment plans and competitive warranties covering all of our services, you can stay pest-free all year round by reaching out to Allstate today.

Our expert team is ready to help you now

or

What Not to do During a Bee Swarm

What Not to do During a Bee Swarm

WHAT NOT TO DO DURING A BEE SWARM

A single beehive can house up to 20,000 to 80,000 bees at a time, but what happens when it reaches capacity? Many bees are sent away to look for a new home. Also known as a bee swarm, we’ve prepared some tips on what to avoid doing to stay safe when you encounter this unusually large number of bees.

What questions will this article answer?

What is a bee swarm?

As tiny experts in pollinating plants, bees are no doubt a very important part of our planet. They live in beehives which can house between 20,000 to 80,000 bees at a time, so it’s no surprise that overcrowding can eventually become a big problem for the colony.

With limited space to raise their young and store honey, worker bees spend around a month preparing for a swarm. The aim of the swarm is to support the current colony and allow it to continue growing.

There are 3 types of bee swarms: primary and secondary swarms, as well as absconding.

During a swarm, a significant number of bees say farewell to their hive to start a fresh colony elsewhere. In primary swarms, the resident Queen bee is escorted to a new hive with around half of the colony. A smaller secondary swarm may follow later, where one more new Queen bee will exit. If the entire colony leaves due to extreme circumstances such as disease, this is known as absconding.

Once a swarm departs the hive, it will travel to a spot that is determined to be safe and suitable as a home by scout bees. Worker bees will then begin the important job of building a brand new hive.

Are bee swarms dangerous?

Although it can be scary to see many bees flying around, you can rest assured that swarming behaviour is not considered aggressive at all. In fact, swarming bees are quite docile with no hive to defend. They usually feast on honey and nectar before leaving the hive to fuel them during their long journey, so they’re not searching or competing for food, either.

While it’s natural to assume that bees will sting you if you get too close, bee swarmers just want to move into their new home as quickly as possible. Long story short: if you don’t disturb them, it’s unlikely that they’ll sting!

However, this is often easier said than done. A swarm of bees can trigger anxiety in many people, and combined with a lack of understanding about bee behaviour, our panicked reactions can agitate bees. This can be particularly concerning when children and pets are in the area, as bee stings are painful and can even trigger allergies.

If you’re seeing more bees around than usual, keep well away from them, stay indoors and reach out to Allstate for advice as soon as possible.

Avoid getting stung by a bee swarm, speak to an expert today

or

Warning signs of a bee swarm

Given that spring is peak breeding season for bees, it’s more common to see swarming during the warmer months. You’ll want to pay attention to any unusual bee activity in your yard around this time of year to avoid a summer outbreak!

The most obvious way to tell if you’re about to experience a bee swarm is that you notice more bees around your home. You may even hear their distracting buzzing noises before you see them.

You’ll most likely see them buzzing between flowering plants in your garden and lingering around certain parts of your building to build their new hive. Pay attention to potential entry points inside your roof and walls as these are popular nesting sites.

If there are established beehives nearby, there is always a risk that a swarm could approach your property, so be on the look out.

What not to do during a bee swarm

You don’t need to be a professional beekeeper to protect yourself and your family when you have a bee outbreak on your hands. Here’s a list of things to avoid to stay safe during a swarm:

Do not panic
While it’s completely understandable that your first reaction to experiencing a bee swarm is to feel anxious, we strongly recommend not acting on this. Stay calm if possible.

Do not try to move the swarm yourself
Hosing bees with water or sprinklers, swatting and throwing stones will not deter a swarm away from your yard. Instead, bees will become aggressive and sting if they believe that they are in danger, particularly if they are trying to protect their Queen.

Do not create sudden movement
This can be perceived as a threat and aggravate the swarm.

Do not go outdoors
Move your children and pets indoors until the swarm has moved away from your yard, or clustered a safe distance away. This may take up to 30 minutes.

Do not go barefoot
To protect yourself from the sting of fallen bees, wear appropriate footwear.

If you have a bee swarm, it can be hard to figure out what to do when you’re feeling stressed. The best action that you can take is to contact Allstate straight away for professional advice and calm reassurance.

Need expert bee advice? Call us today

or

How to prevent a bee swarm in your yard

Here are our simple tips to making your property less prone to bees this spring:

Remove food and water sources

Bees mainly feed on nectar and pollen, but some species will eat meat, dairy products, fungi and flower-based oils. So keep food items covered where possible, including pet water bowls.

Choose your flowering plants carefully

Bees are attracted to bright coloured blue, purple and violet flowers with a pleasant sweet scent, so having less of these around will make your garden far less appealing. They are unable to see red flowers, such as tulips, making them a better choice.

Bee deterring plants

Some plants emit an unpleasant smell for bees and can assist in keeping them away from your garden. These include mint, eucalyptus, basil, geranium, lemongrass, neem, marigold and citronella.

Ultrasonic deterrents

You can consider purchasing electronic devices which emit sound waves outside the spectrum of human hearing. Bee antennae are sensitive to these ultrasonic sound waves, which cause confusion.

Keep safe from bee swarms, speak to our expert team

or

Professional bee management

When it comes to bee handling, it’s best to leave it to the experts who have extensive training in bee behaviour and species, as well as the right equipment and protective clothing.

Above all, our handlers refrain from causing harm to the bees and prefer to safely relocate the hive to an appropriate location where possible.

If there is a severe outbreak or a significant health risk to you or your family, we will initiate treatment by applying an insecticide control dust.

For safe and humane bee control, choose Allstate

Heading into the warmer weather, the last thing you need is a bee swarm when you and your family want to relax in the backyard. There’s no need to worry, though – Allstate is always ready to help!

Since 1986, we’ve provided reliable and effective pest control services to residential, commercial and industrial clients. Available 24/7 to all suburbs of Adelaide for urgent advice, our highly trained and fully equipped technicians can recognise and safely manage bee swarms with minimal impact on the bee population.

With payment plans available on all our services, you can have fast, yet long-lasting solutions to all bee swarms that settle on your property.

Our expert team is ready to help you now

or

Your Guide To Winter Pests

Your Guide To Winter Pests

So, pests aren’t usually a problem in winter, right? Unfortunately not. Just like people, pests such as rodents, spiders, ants, cockroaches, and silverfish look for warm places to nest and hibernate. Continue reading to learn more about how to avoid these frustrating winter pests.

What questions will this article answer?

Why pests are a problem in winter

As the mercury plummets, the cold weather makes your home a warm and safe place to shelter from the harsh elements. With the ability to squeeze through tiny access points inside your home, pests such as rodents, spiders, ants, silverfish and cockroaches can find hiding spots to nest and breed. Before you know it, you could have an outbreak on your hands, unless you act fast!

Rodents

Rodent plagues have been dreaded for centuries, and these clever pests are famous for spreading diseases and contaminating clean places by carrying germs in their fur and droppings. With constantly growing teeth, they’ll happily chew through almost anything that they encounter, from electrical cables to walls, while raiding your kitchen pantry as you sleep!

Signs of a rodent infestation

  • You notice them running around, especially after dark
  • Dark brown to black droppings shaped like rice grains
  • Scurrying, scratching and squeaking sounds above your ceiling at night
  • A musty odour
  • Partially eaten food and crumbs scattered around the floor
  • Gnaw marks on walls, doors, timber, pipes, furniture and cables

Rodent treatment

We use physical rodent traps of different sizes, with larger ones for rats and smaller ones for mice, as well as rodenticide-laced baits for long-lasting rodent management.

For fast rodent control, speak to an expert today

or

Spiders

Often found hiding in less frequented areas, spiders weave sticky cobwebs which are both messy and unhygienic, making housekeeping a hassle. Although most are harmless, some suburban spider species such as redback and funnel web spiders have venomous bites that you’ll definitely want to avoid.

How to spot a spider problem

  • You’re seeing more spiders crawling around than usual
  • There are spider webs visible on the ceilings, walls, and corners of rooms
  • You spot spider burrows in your yard; underneath soil or leaf or compost piles
  • You notice rounded egg sacs wrapped in webbing

Spider management

We use targeted insecticide spray and control dust sprinkled into gaps and crevices to treat spider problems quickly and effectively.

Ants

Though they are more commonly seen marching in summer, ants will seek shelter in warm places such as your home to hibernate in winter. From your benchtops to your rubbish bins and toilets, ants can spread disease and contaminate food and surfaces around your home when foraging for food. They’re also known for painful bites which can trigger allergies in both pets and people alike.

Spotting an ant infestation

  • You see many ants marching along well-defined trails
  • Look for mounds of raised dirt and soil with an entry point to an underground ant nest in your yard
  • Carpenter ants can tunnel through wooden structures, leaving signs of damage such as holes as well as discarded wood shavings on the floor
  • Fire ants cause damage to plants in your garden

Ant control

At Allstate, we apply ant insecticide spray and ant control dust to affected areas, as well as chemical baits for long-term treatment.

Cockroaches

Small, fast and highly adaptable to their environment ,cockroaches scavenge for food in both clean and unsanitary places, making them masters at spreading nasty germs and diseases. They’re known to cause illnesses such as gastroenteritis, diarrhoea, cholera and dysentery.

Telltale signs of a cockroach outbreak

  • You’re noticing more cockroaches scurrying around
  • Black granular droppings
  • Black-brown egg capsules
  • Moulted skins

Cockroach treatment

At Allstate, we use a combination of cockroach insecticide, gel baits and control dust, depending on the severity of your outbreak, to make sure the problem is treated as quickly as possible.

Protect your home from cockroaches. Speak to an expert today.

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Silverfish

With a diet that consists of starchy or saccharide-rich household items, silverfish are the worst houseguests you could have. From grains and cereals in your pantry to fabric items, paper, timber and upholstered furniture, silverfish can live up to six years by simply surviving on your precious belongings

Signs of a silverfish infestation

  • You spot silverfish around your home, particularly at night
  • You notice holes and damage to your clothes, furniture, haberdashery and paper-based products
  • Dark, round, peppercorn-like droppings
  • Moulted skins

Silverfish control

Our pest technicians will use pesticide sprays and fumigation for severe outbreaks , and apply control dust in hard to reach spaces such as wall cavities to effectively manage a silverfish problem.

DIY tips for preventing pest outbreaks this winter

Avoiding the nuisance of a pest outbreak when the mercury drops doesn’t have to be hard. We recommend taking the following simple steps to keep the pests out, and the heat inside this winter:

  • Reduce available food sources and hiding spots
  • Remove unnecessary clutter such as boxes, stacks of paper and laundry
  • Conduct regular yard maintenance by keeping plants well-trimmed and away from your house. Dispose of fallen fruit and remove pet waste and piles of organic matter
  • Keep food tightly stored away including pet food and water bowls
  • Keep the kitchen clean by wiping away spills, grease and food crumbs. Disinfect surfaces and clear sinks
  • Keep bins and rubbish tightly sealed with well-fitting lids
  • Inspect your home for potential entry points and seal them over with gap filler, waterproof sealants, caulk or expanding foam
  • Cover rainwater tanks and floor vents, install a chimney grate or cap
  • Repair leaking taps, pipes and drains as moisture attracts pests such as cockroaches
  • Diatomaceous earth is silica-based naturally occurring powder; sprinkled around the perimeter of your home, it is effective at physically deterring insects and spiders from entering

For effective winter pest control, choose Allstate

As pests can be a nuisance all year round, there’s sometimes no way to escape an outbreak, even in the depths of winter. However, Allstate is always here to help, no matter the season.

Since 1986, we’ve grown to become one of Adelaide’s largest locally-operated pest control providers.

Available 24/7 for urgent advice, we offer comprehensive pest assessments and innovative solutions for infestations of all sizes in commercial, residential and industrial settings. All our services are covered by competitive warranties and don’t forget to ask us about finance options.

With an emphasis on using treatments that are non-toxic to children, pets and the environment, we’ll safeguard your home from pests throughout winter and beyond.

Our expert team is ready to help you now.

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Silverfish Proof Your Kitchen and Bathrooms

Silverfish Proof Your Kitchen and Bathrooms

With a life span of 6 years, an attraction to high moisture areas such as bathrooms, and an appetite for kitchen pantry staples, silverfish are certainly not ideal houseguests. In this Hivemind blog, we share our top 7 tips to help you keep silverfish away from your home for good.

What questions will this article answer?

Why are silverfish in my kitchen and bathrooms?

As their name suggests, silverfish are elongated, grey, gold or brown coloured insects with a characteristic scaly appearance and long antennae. Although they rarely grow beyond 2cm long, silverfish can survive without food for months on end, and live for up to 6 years.

However, these tough insects require one key factor to survive: humidity. In your home, this means that areas containing high moisture such as your kitchen, bathrooms and laundry make for ideal nesting places.

With an appetite for sugary, starchy and fabric-based items, silverfish can easily access a smorgasbord of food sources, not just from your kitchen and bathrooms, but all around your home.

What problems can silverfish cause?

While they are thankfully not known for spreading diseases, these creepy crawlies can still cause chaos and disruption in other ways. Here’s how:

Damage to your home

Silverfish will be just as happy raiding your kitchen pantry for grains, cereals, rice and pasta as they are chewing through fabric and paper items. This includes bathroom towels and mats, as well as clothing, photos, books, timber, and even wood-based musical instruments around your home.

Food contamination

For most of us, seeing silverfish crawling around sugary and starchy pantry staples makes them seem far less appetising, and certainly unfit for human consumption.

Allergies

Silverfish droppings and moulted skins can trigger asthma and allergy symptoms in some people.

For fast silverfish control, speak to an expert today

or

How to tell if you have a silverfish outbreak

If you’re seeing any of the following signs, your home might be in the midst of a silverfish infestation:

Frequent sightings

If you see more silverfish scurrying around, especially in the evenings, you may have a big silverfish problem brewing.

Damaged clothing and furniture

Look for unexpected and unexplained tears, rips and holes in your clothes and fabric furniture, as well as paper-based items such as books or photos.

Droppings

Resembling very small, black peppercorns, silverfish droppings can sometimes be mistaken for dust.

Moulted skins

Typically shedding their outer skins around 30 times a year, you may notice an accumulation of these delicate, translucent layers discarded throughout your home.

How to prevent silverfish in your kitchen and bathrooms

If you spot an odd silverfish lurking in your home, there’s likely to be many more hidden away in unsuspected places. Avoid the unpleasant surprise of a silverfish outbreak by following these 7 handy hints:

Tip 1: Remove all sources of moisture

Fix leaking roofs, taps, pipes and drains and reduce humidity levels inside your kitchen, bathrooms and laundry where possible. This might involve buying a dehumidifier or opening some windows. If you notice mouldy or damp areas, be sure to carefully inspect for the presence of silverfish.

Tip 2: Keep your home clean

Regular and thorough sweeping, vacuuming, dusting and mopping in less frequented and hard to reach places can assist with removing eggs. Remember to check behind and underneath furniture, and even steam clean fabric furniture and upholstery.

Tip 3: Store unused fabric and paper items away

Clothes, towels, sheets, blankets and rugs are best stowed away inside wardrobes, closets and drawers, with silverfish-deterring mothballs adding extra protection. Photo albums and books can be stacked in tightly sealed plastic bags and non-cardboard boxes.

Tip 4: Practice proper food storage

Pantry items, especially those which are starch- or sugar-rich, are best kept dry in tightly sealed containers.

Tip 5: Regular yard maintenance

Clothes, towels, sheets, blankets and rugs are best stowed away inside wardrobes, closets and drawers, with silverfish-deterring mothballs adding extra protection. Photo albums and books can be stacked in tightly sealed plastic bags and non-cardboard boxes.

Tip 6: Remove access points

Identifying and sealing over holes, gaps, cracks and crevices will make it more difficult for silverfish to enter your home.

Tip 7: Pesticide sprays

Available at most hardware stores and supermarkets, general pesticide sprays are effective at stopping silverfish in their tracks.

Protect your belongings from silverfish, get expert advice today

or

Professional silverfish management

Once a colony has been established, it can be difficult to manage a silverfish infestation without professional assistance. This is because silverfish lay eggs in easily overlooked tiny cracks and crevices all over your home and belongings.

That’s why at Allstate, our pest technicians are always available for ongoing treatments for persistent and recurring outbreaks when needed. Here are the methods that we use to successfully control silverfish:

Silverfish insecticide sprays

Effective in large areas, a fast-acting aerosol spray can reduce the silverfish population quickly.

Fumigation

A powerful solution for severe infestations, we’ll arrange with you to safely fumigate large, enclosed areas while you, your family and pets are not at home for a specified period of time.

Silverfish control dust

Sprinkled liberally in hard-to-reach spaces such as tiny gaps and wall cavities, diatomaceous earth control dust deters silverfish from accessing these areas to nest and hide their eggs.

Choose Allstate for fast and effective silverfish control

At Allstate, we’ve seen how sneaky silverfish can quietly cause damage and disruption in homes and businesses across town. That’s why we’re available 24/7 for urgent advice and solutions to managing silverfish problems in all suburbs of Adelaide.

Since 1986, Allstate has offered comprehensive pest control services, including innovative and modern silverfish treatments, to residential, commercial and industrial clients alike.

With an emphasis on safety, our pest control methods are always focused on the wellbeing of people, pets and the environment.

We offer payment plans and competitive warranties on all our services, so you can access long-lasting protection from silverfish outbreaks sooner rather than later.

Our expert team is ready to help you now.

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ARE THE NOISES IN YOUR ROOF POSSUMS OR RODENTS?

ARE THE NOISES IN YOUR ROOF POSSUMS OR RODENTS?

ARE THE NOISES IN YOUR ROOF POSSUMS
OR RODENTS?

Are you hearing noises in your roof at night? Chances are, it’s either pesky possums or rodents.

You might never get a chance to see them, but they can make a mess around your home, damage your property and spread germs everywhere.

Avoid losing sleep every night from uninvited guests in your roof by reading through our guide on how to tell whether it’s possums or rodents (or both!).

What questions will this article answer?

Why are there possums and rodents in the roof?

Possums and rodents will enter your roof space as they look for a place to shelter and nest. This can happen all year round, but particularly in winter for rodents, to escape the cold weather

In built up metropolitan areas, there are less trees, so this means that there is more competition for possums for important resources such as food and physical protection, making your roof space a very appealing option.

With rats able to squeeze through tiny openings, and both possums and rats having sensitive noses that can sniff out food sources in your kitchen, it’s often quite easy for them to find their way inside to make a mess and cause a nuisance.

Problems caused by possums and rodents

As nocturnal creatures, possums and rodents are more active just as you and your family are winding down to sleep. Besides being a noisy distraction, they can make a mess around your home or business as they look for food, leaving crumbs and damaged packaging behind.

With their unhygienic scavenging behaviour, possums and rodents can pick up a range of germs and bacteria in their furry coats and spread these around your home, leading to contamination and putting you and your family at risk of falling ill.

They have sharp teeth which can chew or gnaw at your property and belongings, causing expensive damage. At worst, they can chew through insulation and electrical wiring and fixtures, leading to electricity disruption, shock or even a fire hazard.

To make things worse for businesses, having a possum or rodent outbreak can even result in health and safety breaches. This can affect your reputation and turn away clients and customers.

Manage possums and rodents fast. Speak to an expert today.

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How to tell the difference between possums and rodents in your roof

Without climbing up to the roof to take a look, it can be tricky to know if you’ve got possums or rodents running around inside your roof. Here are some ways to help you discover which pest is keeping you awake at night:

Noises

Possums usually make hissing, screeching and coughing noises. They may even squeal when they are fighting or mating. Rodents will sound squeakier and more high pitched.

Movement

Since possums are larger and heavier than rodents, they will make louder thudding or even banging sounds as they move around, compared to rodents, which are smaller and lighter, and make scampering or scurrying noises.

Urine odour

Possum urine gives off a strong ammonia-like scent, and left in large puddles. Rodent waste leaves a sour, musty smell behind.

Droppings

Possum droppings are dark coloured, cylindrical shaped, and longer than 15mm. Rodent droppings are similar shaped, resembling black grains of rice, and are smaller on average. Mouse droppings are usually around 3-5mm long and rat droppings can be 12-18mm long.

Gnaw marks

With their continuously growing teeth, rodents are constantly looking for things to chew. You may notice more gnaw marks to walls, electrical cables, pipes and timber structures and various other items with a rodent rather than a possum outbreak.

Nests

Rat nests are constructed from various material scraps such as paper, wood, cardboard and fabric offcuts. Possums prefer to build nests made out of bed down, leaves and insulation, or may not need a nest at all.

How to prevent possum and rodent outbreaks in your roof

We have some simple suggestions for you to possum and rodent proof your roof

Yard maintenance

Reduce access to your home by trimming back overhanging tree branches and foliage that grow near your property. This includes bushes, shrubs and creepers. Remove piles of organic matter.

Seal off entry points

Inspect your building for possible access points on a regular basis and proof them off. Repair all dislodged roof tiles. Install barriers, mesh or screens over water tank openings, vents and chimneys. You can also fit seals around doors and windows.

Repellents

It’s useful having a pet such as a dog or cat, which possums and rodents consider to be predators. However, you can also install motion-sensitive sprinklers and lights to scare them away. With their sensitivity to strong smells, you can also scatter natural deterrents such as mothballs, garlic, essential oils and cassia chips around your yard and building.

Remove food sources from your home and yard

It’s important not to feed the possums and rodents if you want to discourage them from entering your yard. Dispose of potential attractants including pet waste and fallen fruit and vegetables from your yard. Always keep food stored away in sturdy containers. Check that bins, compost and rubbish are tightly sealed and secured. Keep pet food and water bowls indoors or covered properly. If you have outdoor dining areas, make sure that they are clean and there are no food scraps or spills.

Regularly inspect and clean less frequented areas

Rodents are clever at finding places to hide away, nest and breed, and it’s usually in places that are not used often, such as sheds, basements and garages. Reduce unwanted items and clutter if possible.

Professional possum and rodent removal from your roof space

At Allstate, we understand how confusing it can be to tell the difference between possums and rodents when it comes to pests in the roof. In fact, it’s possible to have both of them up at the same time, just to add to the chaos!

That’s why having a professional inspection is the best way to go. At Allstate, our technicians understand the characteristics of rodent and possum behaviour to come up with a government-compliant treatment plan that offers long-lasting protection

Humane possum removal

We’ll identify and seal off entry points to your roof and set out a trap to capture all the pesky possums that are nesting in your roof. From here, they’ll be safely moved to their new home, which is a cosy box set up on a nearby tree.

Possum removal permits

Getting rid of possums isn’t quite as simple as setting up a DIY trap, as they are considered to be protected wildlife in South Australia

At Allstate, our technicians have a Trap and Release Permit issued by the Department for Environment and Heritage. This means that we have permission to catch possums and relocate them within a 50 metre radius.

Rodent prevention

Similar to possum removal, we resolve rodent outbreaks by proofing off potential access points inside your roof. Our technicians will then install a rodent baiting system around your property

We use lockable, tamper-proof bait stations which contain a targeted rodenticide. These are safe to be used in the presence of children and pets.

We will regularly monitor and replenish these bait stations to make sure that the outbreak is managed quickly, but you’ll often need to wait for up to 2 weeks to start noticing a significant reduction.

Commercial and industrial integrated pest management programs

At Allstate, we make it easy for busy facility managers to keep all pests away from your business, including possums and rodents. For over 35 years, we have used a proven approach to successfully keep pests out of commercial and industrial facilities of all sizes. You can stay compliant with health and safety standards with our up-to-date pest control technology.

Contact us today to learn more about our comprehensive integrated pest management programs

Choose Allstate for effective and long-lasting protection from possums and rodents

For many of us, hearing possums and rodents causing a racket in your roof can be an unnecessary distraction, especially around bedtime!

To minimise the disruption to you and your family, our technicians are fully equipped to tackle any possum and rodent outbreaks in all suburbs of Adelaide, for residential, commercial and industrial settings.

Available 24/7 for urgent callouts, we use modern, humane innovative treatments that are compliant to council regulations and non-toxic to children, pets and the environment.

We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee and competitive warranties on all our services, plus payment plans if needed. So, don’t hesitate to reach out for fast and long lasting solutions to any of your possum and rodent problems today.

Our expert team is ready to help you now

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